Lady Gaga made history at Copacabana Beach in Brazil, drawing an estimated 2.5 million fans on Saturday, May 3. The free concert, part of her tour to promote her album "Mayhem," broke records for the largest concert by a female performer and the most-attended free concert ever.
The Copacabana Beach has a long history of hosting massive musical events. The Rolling Stones played to 1.5 million fans in 2006, and Madonna attracted 1.6 million during her 2024 tour. Lady Gaga's attendance dwarfs even the biggest superstars of the generation.
Only three concerts have ever had higher attendance. Rod Stewart drew 3.5 million fans in 1994, and Jean-Michel Jarre had 3.5 million in Moscow in 1997. Jorge Ben played to 3 million at Copacabana a year before Stewart.
For comparison, Rihanna's largest concert had 95,971 attendees, and Taylor Swift's drew 96,000. Lady Gaga's Copacabana concert attendance was approximately 25 times larger than these.
Brazilian police reported they intercepted a plot to set off explosives at the concert. Two people were arrested in connection with the alleged scheme.
The alleged leader of the group was arrested on illegal weapons possession charges. A teenager was booked on child pornography charges.
Despite the drama, Lady Gaga told the crowd, "Tonight, we're making history." She thanked fans for making history with her.